Edmund James Mills

Edmund James Mills FRS (1840–1921) was a British chemist. He was inventor of the brand-name disinfectant Parozone.

Life

He was born in London on 8 December 1840. He was educated at the Grammar School in Cheltenham then studied at the Royal School of Mines back in London. The chemistry element of his course was taught at the Royal College of Chemistry on Oxford Street. His fellow students included Herbert McLeod, who became a life-long friend. Mills graduated BSc in 1863 and gained a doctorate (DSc) in 1865. From 1861 he worked under Prof John Stenhouse, with colleagues also including William A. Tilden.[1]

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London on 4 June 1874.[2] He moved to Glasgow around 1876 as Professor of Chemistry. He initially lived at 2 Hillsborough Terrace in the Hillhead district.[3]

His pupils at Glasgow included Arthur George Perkin.[4]

In 1891 he discovered and published his creation of a new disinfectant whilst working as a Professor of Technical Chemistry at the Royal Technical College at 60 John Street in Glasgow. He was then living at 5 Hillhead Street.[5] This product was named "Parozone" and transformed British domestic life in terms of cleaning clothes and disinfecting kitchens and bathrooms.[6]

By 1911 the Parozone Co. Ltd was well-established and had its headquarters at 53 Bothwell Street in Glasgow City Centre.[7]

Mills died at home in Acton on 21 April 1921. He was a Buddhist at the time of his death.[8]

The Parazone Company was bought by Jeyes Fluid in 1963 but retained its name.

References
  1. Nature (magazine): obituaries 4 June 1921
  2. Proceedings of the Royal Society, June 1874
  3. Glasgow Post Office Directory 1876
  4. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/6BE31796B105C27E0EC4C7C3E61E88A1/S0370164600014036a.pdf/arthur_george_perkin_dsc_frs.pdf
  5. Glasgow Post Office Directory 1891
  6. Made in Scotland, by Carol Foreman
  7. Glasgow Post Office Directory 1911
  8. Dundee Evening Telegraph 27 April 1921
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